The Slow Movement – Another Perspective

In June of 2014, The Slow Stitching Movement became an “official entity” on the Internet as a blog, podcast, magazine, gallery and a Facebook Group. The Slow Stitching Movement was launched by Mark Lipinski to adapt the principles of the Iinternational Slow Movement to the fiber and needle arts. You can read about it on his blog, or watch his presentation online for $19.99 through details found at http://www.shopfonsandporter.com/.

1. We need to stop rushing through life so fast that we lose track of ourselves

2. We need to stop applying the same turbo-speed to everything that we do.

3. We need to stop doing everything at once.

4. We need to slow down and find the energy to get involved with the world that we live in.

Since you are reading this post on www.caronmosey.com, then chances are pretty good that you might be a hand quilter, and that you have no trouble supporting these ideas. I know I totally agree!

As a hand quilter for going on 40 years, hand quilting provides me tranquility, peace, time for meditation and contemplation, and a chance for creativity and use of my hand sewing skills. I have always said that if I didn’t have time set aside each day for some hand stitching, I would go crazy.

A hand quilter needs very little in the way of supplies and tools for his or her craft. You can get by with fabric that you have on hand! Think back to the quilts of the 1800’s, made out of old clothing, scraps of fabric left over from clothes which were made at home, and basic thread that was already in the house. You need scissors, a thimble to protect your finger, batting or something to put in the middle of your quilt for warmth, and a backing fabric of some kind. A quilt frame or hoop would be a good thing to have, but many quilters get by without one. (I don’t know how they do that, but they do!)

Don’t we all want to be ethical, supportive, courteous, quality-driven and thoughtful? Gosh, I would certainly hope so! I’d like to add a few points that he missed (or expand on what he said):

Know the difference between a WANT and a NEED. Mark mentions this, and I totally agree. I am a graduate of Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University, and proud of it. Dave stresses knowing the difference between WANT and NEED. When I start a new quilt project, I know what thread I NEED (because I’m out of it or don’t have that color). I also know that when I shop online, at a local quilt shop or at the quilt show vendor area, if I see a gadget or special fabric or quilty thing that I like, it is a WANT, not a need. I WANT it, but if I don’t get it, it won’t kill me. Oh, I might pout for a while, but I will survive. Do you really NEED that fancy new gadget that Tremendous Trixie the Famous Quilter pushes at her workshop? Or is that gadget just something she’s pushing to make money, and you really don’t NEED it at all?

Choose your quilt business wisely. Get to know the owner. Whether the business is an online or a brick and mortar (LQS) shop, if you have problems, can the owner help you? WILL the owner help you? Does the owner have the knowledge and time to assist you? Or is the shop and its owner(s) such a large corporation or entity that you are just one of a gazillion customers? Or is the owner a friend or fellow quilter who will take the time to sit down with you and help you? Many local quilt shops are closing as the cost of a brick and mortar shop is difficult financially. But it’s a different world today, isn’t it? Many of us purchase items online, but we just have to do it wisely and know who we are buying from.

Be yourself. Don’t feel like you have to follow the crowd. Quilters are easily sucked into trends… trends in fabric choices, colors, and patterns. You can go to any local show and see quilts with similar patterns – because groups of quilters are all working on the same pattern (often with the same fabrics!). I bet if I mention one word (just one!) you will know what I mean… hexies!

Every quilter is different. Every quilter has his or her reasons for what they do. My reasons are as important to me as yours are to you. I rarely buy patterns, I seldom publish them. I like to do my own thing with quilt design. I’m the same way about quilty trinkets, stencils, and fancy notions. I usually don’t buy them. I’m a pretty simple person. If you were to ask me how to create a pattern or transfer a design onto fabric, you and I would sit down together and get the task done. If you live far away, I’d walk you through it by email or blog or phone. The way that I do something might be totally different than the next quilter, but it’s not wrong… it’s just how I do it. And I’m happy to share how I do it with you, as long as you understand that.

Caron at Hand Quilting Supplies

Your “online” LQS

Unless posted otherwise, all photos and writing copyright Caron Mosey,http://blog.caronmosey.com. If you would like to use a photo or article seen here,
please contact me at caron mosey at gmail dot com.

8 thoughts on “The Slow Movement – Another Perspective”

love it! I will have to read the article by Mark. People do rush too much and try to get a quilt done in a weekend without really being able to enjoy the whole process – I think 🙂 Too many quilters in today's world think you have to accomplish a quilt quickly or think they do not have the time to hand piece or hand quilt – some day they need to realize it is ok to take your time and thoroughly enjoy it.

Caron!GREAT POST and I agree completely with you. Last week I took off work and decided I would visit a couple of quilt stores near me. I looked all around and really could not find anything I “needed”, I did purchase some fabric, white and a little bit of some other solids. After a little over 5 years quilting and now becoming part of the hand quilting forum, I honestly want to create my own patterns, and do my own things.

The one thing I remember when I started quilting was the speed with which people quilted and I didn't go that fast, I have since left that guild and call the facebook hand quilters group, my guild!

Great post Caron! Some will embrace this “movement” as the next best way to make some money; others simply live the movement every day, and have for years. I hope quilters will be quick to discern the difference; most of us on the Celebrate Hand Quilting FB group already live that life and we wouldn't have it any other way!

Amen! I agree! My goal in life is never to be a sheeple. My husband's word for people that need to be lead around like lost sheep. So much more enjoyable to make your own way and do what you want to do!

I couldn't agree more with this post! Oh how I've been saying this for so long now. So nice to know others are feeling the same way. I think it may have something to do with quilting itself getting out of control. New fabric lines are coming out faster than I can blink. It's a bit ridiculous.

I love Dave Ramsey and think all would do well to take his Financial Peace seminar. What peace we have when we learn to do as the apostle Paul said…”for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am”.

Every year I see some beautiful “fabric art”. It is machine quilted over fused bits of fabrics. I don't consider it wrong but it certainly isn't for me. Luckily, I can't afford fabric so I have to shop my stash. Good thing too because I will have to live a few hundred years to use it all up. (it breeds in dark places)